La Mesan Charged with Lewd Act with 2-Year-Old in Vons Restroom

Police have arrested a 29-year-old La Mesa man on charges of lewd acts with a child last week in the men’s restroom of the Vons grocery store on University Avenue, authorities said.

Russell Charles Cilibraise III is being held on $100,000 bail at County Jail after being arrested Friday in the Wednesday incident at Vons in the La Mesa Springs shopping center, said police Sgt. Angela DeSarro.

According to DeSarro, a witness walked into the men’s restroom at the La Mesa Springs center Vons and “observed an adult male sitting on the toilet with his pants down. The adult male had a 2-year-old child on his lap and the witness observed the child touching the male’s penis. The witness reported the incident to the La Mesa Police Department.”

On Monday, DeSarro said the child was known to Cilibraise—and not a stranger pulled into the restroom. She said a second witness was “not as involved” but had knowledge of the incident.

Cilibraise was arrested by detectives on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts with a child. His image (attached) was captured by a Vons security camera, DeSarro said.

He is scheduled for arraignment at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the East County courthouse in El Cajon, accordinf to jail records

DeSarro said the investigation is ongoing and detectives are still working on developing leads on any other potential victims or witnesses to this case or any other potential cases involving Cilibraise.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police Detective Sean Snow at 619-667-7537.

You also may call Crime Stoppers’ anonymous toll-free tip line 888-580-TIPS (or sdcrimestoppers.com). You can remain anonymous, and be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 for information in this case.